


Divide

by kittmoon



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Blades of the Yiga memory and what happens after, BotW Gift Exchange, Developing Friendship, F/M, Link doing his goddamn best, Mentions of drugs, Some kidnapping elements, Whump, Zelda being resentful, Zelda like. Totally has a crush on Link, i know I write a lot of angst that takes place in the desert, no I don’t know why, some violence, we know what’s up, we’ve all been around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 10:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27849350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittmoon/pseuds/kittmoon
Summary: Zelda shouldn’t have run away. She knows that. But honestly, was it so wrong to just want a little space? She needed to get away from responsibility. She needed to get away from Link.She hadn’t expected the attack. But he was swift as ever, and she was saved. But as Zelda just begins to analyze her own feelings, new dangers arise. Perhaps she can view him differently...she admires him, she realizes.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 106





	Divide

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hinezumi on Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=hinezumi+on+Tumblr).



> Hello all! This is a fic for @hinezumi on Tumblr for the Breath of the Wild Gift Exchange! Happy holidays Zumi:3 hope you like it.

Zelda was reeling. 

What had she just _seen?_

Factually, she knew she’d just witnessed her knight attendant kill a man, and foot soldier for the Yiga Clan. The other two attackers had since disappeared in shimmers of red, leaving their compatriot dead in the sand, still bleeding from his jugular. 

Link seemed to be just as thrown, breathing hard with his eyes wide, his Master Sword still held in front of himself like a shield. As he looked back as her, Zelda found herself stuttering out an apology - “I-I’m so sorry, I...I didn’t mean to...” 

He didn’t respond, not that she expected him to. In her flustered state she barely registered his hand being held out to her. After a second, she took it and was hoisted up off of the loose sand. 

His eyes were hard and impossible to read. She truly felt sorry; running off and getting cornered had never been her plan.

She supposed it had been a rather malicious plan, thinking back on it. Slipping her knight a sleeping draught before bed, it...hadn’t been a _polite_ gesture, to say the least, but Zelda had viewed it quite positively at the time. She’d kept a close eye on Link as they ate their dinner, a meal of field greens and hydro melon juice, which she had very graciously decided to purchase for them both from a vendor at the Bazaar. He’d seemed suspicious of her kindness, but Zelda had been too clouded by resentment to even feel guilty. She’d brewed the potion herself, and it hadn’t taken long before Link began swaying where he stood. 

She then urged him to the inn - “You’re dead on your feet, Link,” - and he seemed too sleepy to protest, stumbling into the lower bunk and slipping into a deep slumber. _Success, then._ She vaguely wondered now if he was aware of what had been happening to him. 

Regardless, Zelda had accidentally overslept that morning. She’d jolted up out of bed, peeking over the top bunk to view Link at the bottom, surprisingly still out like a light. At first she had been worried, but he was breathing evenly, eyes closed, completely asleep.

Shaking off her concerns, Zelda was determined to slip away, using the freedom she was suddenly given. It had been late in the morning, and the innkeeper cheerily waved her goodbye as she stepped out into the sun. 

Yesterday she had done everything she could to avoid Link’s attention - escaping into Gerudo Town, traveling with Urbosa to Vah Naboris. It had been peaceful, to have her space away from his gaze upon her. What she hadn’t expected was for him to appear there that night, while she had been asleep...she grit her teeth, angry. 

It had been foolish to think that she could make it to the statues of the Seven Heroines on her own. Though it had been morning when she set out, the air had already been dry, and it would be far, likely several hours worth of travel, but this did not sway her. There were rumors of a shrine buried there...Zelda was the goddess-damned Princess of Hyrule, if she couldn’t walk for a few hours through the sand by herself, then what good would she even be when it came to the Calamity? At least that way she would finally have been able to conduct some form of research on her own, without anyone’s eyes on her. Especially his - who knew what Link would think of her, gravitating towards a field trip instead of her morning prayers. 

And then, this. Laughter, the Yiga’s laughter, had suddenly surrounded her. They had appeared out of the air, and she ran for her life, despite how tired and sore she already was from having walked for almost an hour. She was incredibly lucky, that Link had caught up to her. 

Zelda had never seen him kill anyone before. Monsters, sure, but those were lifeless creatures. This Yiga footman had been living and breathing, someone of intelligence...

She realized that she was staring at the body and ripped her gaze away. How should she feel about this? Link was staring at her, waiting for her. She wished that he was easier to get a read off of, his stature completely neutral. _He calmed down very quickly...was he used to this?_

Too many questions, not nearly enough time. They had places to be—

“—Thank you,” she blurted.

Link cocked his head, almost imperceptibly, but nodded once. 

Then, for the first time ever, he turned and walked away from her. 

“Tch.” Zelda felt a familiar spark of anger, watching him as he continued his strides down the path. “Are you not going to speak to me?” 

He continued to walk ahead, not even waiting for her to catch up. _The audacity of this boy!_

Feeling frustration surge through her, she sighed. Did he know, about the drug? Or was he merely angry with her for sneaking off on her own? Was he angry at himself, perhaps, for letting her slip away? 

_Except,_ Zelda muttered inwardly, _he didn’t allow that. You sabotaged his ability to perform his duty, to protect you._

Fine. She would go along with this. Zelda huffed and began to stride after him, determined to return the silence that he always greeted her with.

They walked for a few minutes, but Zelda could hardly focus, her mind a storm. Link was annoyed with her, that couldn’t be more obvious. The fact that he was walking ahead of her as opposed to five feet behind was an already clear and purposeful breech of protocol. He didn’t look back, keeping his eyes forward as they made their way towards the Gerudo Archway. Guilt began to naw its way throughout her gut - if Link knew, then that made this worse. Would she feel any better if the Yiga hadn’t attacked her? Would this have felt like a success?

Link likely would have done the same thing, Zelda thought to herself - rush into the desert to try and find her. She crossed her arms, digging her fingernails into her biceps and biting her lip. His devotion was nothing to sneeze at - it irked her. He held an unwavering confidence in his position. He always had. He rose to every challenge with nothing but sheer strength of will, passed every test with flying colors...it was hardly fair, the way he looked at her. He obviously despised her; it was clear that he loathed being her guard, especially now. Didn’t he see that she was trying to reach those same standards? She had been trying, all her life...fruitlessly. What a waste. 

Zelda suddenly gasped, nearly bumping into Link as her knight abruptly stopped walking and held his hand out as a signal: _hold on._

Annoyed, Zelda hissed, “Link, I don’t have time for any passive aggression—“ 

He looked at her over his shoulder to shake his head, holding a finger to his lips in a quieting gesture. 

The silence suddenly rang, and Zelda heard them, faintly: footsteps, atop the cliffs on either side of the path. The two of them stood, completely still in the sand beneath the Archway as the footsteps of many skirted above. 

Link’s voice was incredibly low, the urgency of the situation apparently warranting the need to speak. “Princess, if something happens, run to the stable.”

Zelda wanted to ask what he meant, but after thinking for a moment, she didn’t need to - the tension in the air made the hair stand on the back of her neck. She could see it in her mind’s eye, the flash of the Yiga’s sickle, prepared to take her down and leave her in the dust. 

Link’s eyes were sharp, scanning the rocks above them, listening for their approach. Zelda strained her ears, trying her luck at detecting any noise. She could hear them clearly now as the soft echoes of their footsteps rippled down the canyon rock. They were up there, waiting, staging a surrounding assault. 

“If we keep walking, they’ll storm down onto us,” Zelda whispered. “They must have realized that we’ve noticed them.” 

Link furrowed his brow, eyes searching the cliffs. Zelda understood his frustration - it was difficult to tell how many there were; they were doing well at hiding their numbers with shuffling footsteps. 

Quickly, he pulled his bow to the front, drawing a bomb arrow from his quiver. “Cover your ears,” he murmured. 

Zelda’s mouth fell open in a silent yelp, covering her ears and shrinking into herself as Link let the bomb arrow spring skyward. Zelda peeked her eyes open, watching as it made its easy arc over the left cliffside. There was a reverberating _BOOM_ as the powder exploded, resulting in shouts from up above. Cliff rocks broke loose and fell down onto the path. 

Link stepped back, guiding Zelda against the wall and positioning himself in front of her in a defensive stance. There were sudden yells and puffs of air as, one after another, Yiga soldiers leapt from the clifftop and teleported to the sand below where the two of them stood. Link held out the Master Sword threateningly, and Zelda watched as he began calculating an attack. His eyes danced from one soldier to another, but his breathing became slightly more panicked as they kept appearing. 

There were maybe seven of them now - Zelda recognized the tall statures of two Yiga Blademasters among their ranks, twice as dangerous. Fear began to swell in Zelda’s chest. 

She knew she had to rely on Link - there would be no other way to get out of this. Link was a fierce fighter, so in theory...

There was a blademaster towards the front - he appeared to be the leader of the group; the other must have been a lieutenant - who stood twice as tall, displaying his windcleaver in the most threatening way, glinting a steely white in the afternoon sun. “We want the Princess,” he said in a low voice. When he spoke the other soldiers seemed to adjust themselves, shifting their feet and lining up in a clearly rehearsed formation. 

Link bared his teeth, stepping forward and bringing the Master Sword farther up, towards his chest. Zelda recognized that stance - _You’ll have to go through me to get to her._ Despite the situation Zelda felt a blush dust her cheeks. She knew he was cross with her, but he still stood strong...how silly of her to doubt that feelings would sway him in his duty. Yet another way he seemed to excel...

The blademaster chuckled. “I suppose dragging the Hero down wouldn’t be a bad prize either.” 

And then he moved. In a flash he was in front of Link, and the two of them in a strength match as their blades clashed. Immediately, three of the footmen sprinted to Zelda’s side, pulling their sickles. 

Zelda felt numb as her panic spiked. “Link...!” 

Link grunted, pushing the blademaster off of him and whirling back to swing at the surrounding Yiga soldiers. At that point, more of them advanced, and it was very suddenly clear that Link would not be able to handle them all. 

Zelda felt helpless as she watched her knight spin, block, and slash. There were yells as people were cut, but it wasn’t enough - they were without a doubt running out of time as the Yiga collectively cornered them against the canyon wall. 

“Link, we need to run—“ Zelda tried to shout, but the second blademaster caught her arm and twisted it behind her back. She yelped in pain as another one of them swiftly kicked her in the back of the knees, and she buckled, falling into the sand. 

“You’re not going anywhere!” The lieutenant yelled from behind her. Hearing her, Link jumped back, preparing to run forward and attack her captors, but he suddenly stopped dead, eyes wide. Zelda was confused for a mere second before she felt the sharpness of a blade being held at her neck. Her eyes bulged, and the panic she felt was abruptly overwhelming. Humiliation spread throughout her body as she began to shake, terrified and utterly ashamed that they had been cornered this quickly. 

Link was frozen, eyes skittering from soldier to soldier. She could see his brain running a mile a minute. For the first time, Link looked truly troubled, unsure of what to do. 

“Drop the Sword,” came the growl of the soldier that held his blade to Zelda’s throat. “Hands above your head, boy.”

Zelda was shaking harder. Her knees were aching, her arm was still twisted roughly. She hurt all over, and Link could get hurt if he didn’t cooperate...”It isn’t worth it,” she breathed. 

Link’s eyes snapped to her, and his eyes narrowed. She felt intimidated under his gaze, his _glare,_ she realized. Her embarrassment boldly returned. _He wouldn’t hate you if you had just trusted him from the start,_ an impish part of her whispered. 

The Yiga were getting impatient. The lead blademaster huffed, “Surrender. Or she’s dead. Do you hear me?”

At this, the sickle’s blade pressed against the skin of her neck - a choked noise spilled from her, and the shaking returned tenfold as her fear became all-consuming. There was no blood drawn - yet - but Zelda could feel how little effort it would take to kill her instantly, to slit her throat and annihilate her. Link’s eyes went wide again, and he turned to look back at the blademaster, his glare twice as burning. As angry as he looked, that troubled expression remained in his brow. 

The silence was deafening. Zelda watched the lead blademaster, his hand twitching towards his windcleaver, ready to cut Link into pieces. 

Link had taken too long. “Slit her throat,” commanded the blademaster. 

The next few moments spun together incredibly fast. 

Link was suddenly up in the air, moving faster than Zelda could see. He had sprinted and jumped off the wall of the cliff, gaining high ground. The lieutenant blademaster that held the sickle to Zelda’s throat hesitated, and that split second was enough for Link to shoot multiple electric arrows, one of which sunk into the lieutenant’s ankle. Zelda, in a microsecond of clarity, dropped herself completely to the sand, hitting the deck to avoid the resulting shock that spread to the sickle. She watched the rest of the battle dissolve from her sunken position on the ground, vaguely aware of the lieutenant that had fallen beside her. 

Two other electric arrows had been fired: one that hit a nearby Yiga footman in the shoulder, and another that stuck itself into the lead blademaster’s chest. There were yells of pain and surprise as Link landed and began whirling, slicing enemies left and right with a determined look on his face. It was a blur of metal and magic and red. 

The lead blademaster cried out in pain as the shock crawled up his body. “Get the Princess!” he choked, but Link had been ready for that, speeding over to where Zelda lay in the sand and stringing three bomb arrows into his bow, facing the still standing Yiga soldiers with a menacing stance. The bombs sizzled at the end of the arrows, ready to explode and take the group of Yiga down in a blaze. 

The lead blademaster was panting, blood beginning to leak out of the wound that the shock arrow had pieced open. Zelda watched as he frantically looked around. Several of his supporting soldiers were backing away from the obvious turning of tables, the threat of three bomb arrows being shot in their direction abundantly clear. 

“Ngh!” The blademaster spat, enraged. “You royals have it coming,” he growled. “RETREAT!”

There was a round of twinkling sounds and red _poofs_ of magic and paper slips, and the Yiga were gone. The silence rang once again - the two of them were alone. 

Zelda was panting, the sensation the remaining adrenaline pumping through her worn body like an aggressive inferno. She grunted, heaving herself up from the sand. And that’s when she noticed the blood. 

Link was wounded in two places - two different cuts, long and bleeding, ran along his calf and left arm. He had barely moved, still holding the arrows pulled taught and staring down the path as if they would reappear.

“Link...” she murmured, clumsily standing up. “You’re...you’re wounded. We need to get to the stable.”

He relaxed his arms, slowly swinging back his bow and putting away his arrows - it was this action that caused him noticeable pain. He hissed, twisting his arm and taking in the damage. The cut on his leg was just as bad, a deep gash that was dripping down his leg and into the sand. He seemed to realize this, releasing a breath and stumbling a little. 

Zelda caught him by bracing his shoulders, her reflexes quick. “You fought bravely,” she said, suddenly compelled. “Thank you.”

Link gave a faint nod and steadied himself, using the Master Sword as a slight crutch to even out his stature. With his free hand he gestured forward, down the path, in an _after you_ motion. 

They made it to the stable within the half hour. The Princess and her knight were of course given the best beds and food available. There happened to be a traveling medic at the stable, and she was able to patch them up rather quickly - she did this without asking questions, stating that these were dangerous times, and monster attacks were on the rise. Neither of them said anything to dispute this. 

By the time they had arrived, Zelda was beginning to shut down, the adrenaline from earlier winding down steadily and leaving her numb. The medic seemed to realized this, and while bandaging Link’s arm she advised Zelda to get some rest. Zelda gratefully took that advice and fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow. 

It was dark when she woke. Clearly she’d slept longer than intended...several hours at least. The evening chill of the desert had set in. 

Zelda sat up. Her back was sore, and she had a few bruises on her wrist, but they were nothing to worry over. She was grateful to have gotten out of such a situation with no lasting wounds. 

Looking around she saw that the stable’s inn space was mostly empty - there were two stable boys outside who were helping a few new guests settle their horses. Link was nowhere in sight. 

But, this was normal, for when they traveled. Knowing where to find him, Zelda stepped out of bed and walked outside with a thankful nod to the innkeeper. None of the few guests gave her a passing glance, and she was thankful for this. 

Sure enough, there her knight was around the corner of the building, practicing his swings and pivots with the Master Sword. His arm was bandaged well, and she could see the bulge of a second set of wrappings beneath his trousers. Back at it again, then. 

The guilt that she had felt earlier that day bloomed quietly in her chest, and it hung in balance, presenting her with an obvious choice. She could ignore and bury it, hoping for days to come that he hadn’t actually noticed her deception, that he would brush it off, that she could go back to hating him and his presence plainly without deeper reflection. Or, she could apologize, and nip this dragging guilt in the bud. She thought back to his actions, how despite his frustration he had risked his life to save her, again and again. He had gotten injured, too..it had been strange, seeing him at such a loss, but he had bounced back easily and had overcome the odds. She had survived, thanks to Link. 

This wasn’t easy for him. It never had been. He just...

“Link.”

He paused, sheathing the Sword upon seeing her. 

This would be difficult. A slight breeze flew by, an effect of the nighttime chill. Zelda sighed. “I apologize for today.” 

Link cocked his head, though it didn’t seem to be out of confusion. He stood still, waiting. 

He wouldn’t say it. She needed to. “I...I’m sorry for abandoning you at the Bazaar. It was a catalyst for the events of today...I never meant to deliberately put myself in danger. Sneaking away was unkind.” 

To her mild surprise, he spoke then, crossing his arms. “Drugging your knight escort was unkind,” he said bluntly. The attitude in his voice was faint, but evident - he was well aware of his rank compared to the Princess of Hyrule. Still, it jarred Zelda slightly, to see her her knight portray even that much emotion. She looked down, embarrassed once again. 

“...It was. Incredibly.” She thought about explaining herself, pillowing her actions with attempted reason, but there was no point - Link was no fool, he knew precisely the motivations behind her actions that night. “It won’t ever happen again, nor anything like it. I swear on it.” Her voice was more timid than she intended. “I recognize your service - you defended me and risked your life in the process. That kind of loyalty, that kind of dedication to your duty, it’s...” She trailed off, trying to block out the memories of her useless prayers, her waning determination to her own duty. “...Very admirable. I admire you, Link.” 

That seemed to catch him properly off-guard. He dropped his arms and blinked at her. Zelda was also surprised, opening her mouth to immediately explain herself. “I just mean— it’s really—“ she stuttered, her voice failing her. 

Link shook his head - it was his turn to look down, timid. “...I understand. Why you ran away.” 

The night’s temperature was dropping rapidly. Zelda held her arms, the cold incredibly evident now. “You do?”

He nodded, hesitating for a moment. “You have a lot of pressure on you, Princess. A moment away is likely what was needed, but obligation has been keeping you tied to the concerns of the kingdom.” 

It was the most she had ever heard him speak. She stood in stunned silence, unsure of what to reply with. He didn’t sound like he despised her. Quite the opposite...he sounded as though he _understood_ her. 

This was a new feeling. She dug her nails into her arms. “I’m still sorry. I’ve never communicated with you in the way that I should. It doesn’t make me a very good friend, does it...”

Link’s lips parted slightly, and she rethought what she had said - “friend”. 

Link was quiet, also seeming unsure of what to say. This was too much. Zelda needed some space - she could sense the changing feelings swirling around in her chest, replacing the guilt, replacing many things. 

Her cheeks warmed. “I’m going- to go back inside and get myself something to eat. When you’re done with practice, I suggest you eat and get some rest.” She said all of this in a rush, already turning to leave. “I’d like to leave early in the morning to make up for lost time.” 

Zelda couldn’t see his automatic nod, but she felt it at her back. His eyes were just as piercing in her mind, and as she made her way to the cooking fire she tried to blink the image away. 

She sat by the fire for a few minutes, letting the warmth wash over her. It was only after a few moments that she realized - _I haven’t...eaten anything today, have I..._

There were footsteps. It was Link, approaching the fire and kneeling across from her, reaching out to warm his hands. The night air was dry and frigid. 

She wanted to know him better. His eyes held secrets, or at the very least, thoughts. She wanted to hear them and know them, to know him. She didn’t want to hate him anymore - her resentment seemed to melt away along with the adrenaline. 

Link was silent for a long time. Zelda hadn’t been expecting words, but nonetheless, he usurped her expectations once again. “I haven’t eaten anything today,” he murmured. “What would you like for dinner, Princess?” 

She thought for a moment. _He’s friendly when he’s not silent._ “...Something warm.” 

“Of course,” he said. He began making pumpkin stew.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! You can find me on Tumblr @kittmoon.


End file.
